[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to metropolitan park districts; and amending RCW 35.61.010, 35.61.020, 35.61.030, 35.61.040, and 35.61.050.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 35.61.010 and 1994 c 81 s 60 are each amended to read as follows:

((~~Cities of five thousand or more population and such contiguous property the residents of which may decide in favor thereof in the manner set forth in this chapter may create~~)) A metropolitan park district may be created for the management, control, improvement, maintenance, and acquisition of parks, parkways, ((~~and~~)) boulevards, and recreational facilities. A metropolitan park district may include territory located in portions or all of one or more cities or counties, or one or more cities and counties, when created or enlarged as provided in this chapter.

Sec. 2. RCW 35.61.020 and 1965 c 7 s 35.61.020 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) When proposed by citizen petition or by local government resolution as provided in this section, a ballot proposition authorizing the creation of a metropolitan park district shall be submitted by resolution to the voters of the area proposed to be included in the district at any general election, or at any special election which may be called for that purpose((, or at any city election held in the city in all of the various voting precincts thereof, the city council or commission may, or on petition of fifteen percent of the qualified electors of the city based upon the registration for the last preceding general city election, shall by ordinance, submit to the voters of the city the proposition of creating a metropolitan park district, the limits of which shall be coextensive with the limits of the city as now or hereafter established, inclusive of territory annexed to and forming a part of the city)).

(2) The ballot proposition shall be submitted if the governing body of each city in which all or a portion of the proposed district is located, and the legislative authority of each county in which all or a portion of the proposed district is located within the unincorporated portion of the county, each adopts a resolution submitting the proposition to create a metropolitan park district.

(3) As an alternative to the method provided under subsection (2) of this section, the ballot proposition shall be submitted if a petition proposing creation of a metropolitan park district is submitted to the county auditor of each county in which all or a portion of the proposed district is located that is signed by at least fifteen percent of the registered voters residing in the area to be included within the proposed district. Where the petition is for creation of a district in more than one county, the petition shall be filed with the county auditor of the county having the greater area of the proposed district, and a copy filed with each other county auditor of the other counties covering the proposed district.

Territory by virtue of its annexation to any city ((~~having heretofore created~~)) whose territory lies entirely within a park district shall be deemed to be within the limits of the metropolitan park district. ((~~The city council or commission shall submit the proposition at a special election to be called therefor when the petition so requests.~~)) Such an extension of a park district's boundaries shall not be subject to review by a boundary review board independent of the board's review of the city annexation of territory.

Sec. 3. RCW 35.61.030 and 1985 c 469 s 32 are each amended to read as follows:

((In submitting the question to the voters for their approval or rejection, the city council or commission shall pass an ordinance declaring its intention to submit the proposition of creating a metropolitan park district to the qualified voters of the city. The ordinance shall be published once a week for two consecutive weeks in the official newspaper of the city, and the city council or commission shall cause to be placed upon the ballot for the election, at the proper place,))

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section for review by a boundary review board, the ballot proposition authorizing creation of a metropolitan park district that is submitted to voters for their approval or rejection shall appear on the ballot of the next general election or at the next special election date specified under RCW 29.13.020 occurring sixty or more days after the last resolution proposing the creation of the park district is adopted or the date the county auditor certifies that the petition proposing the creation of the park district contains sufficient valid signatures. Where the petition or copy thereof is filed with two or more county auditors in the case of a proposed district in two or more counties, the county auditors shall confer and issue a joint certification upon finding that the required number of signatures on the petition has been obtained.

(2) Where the proposed district is located wholly or in part in a county in which a boundary review board has been created, notice of the proposal to create a metropolitan park district shall be filed with the boundary review board as provided under RCW 36.93.090 and the special election at which a ballot proposition authorizing creation of the park district shall be held on the special election date specified under RCW 29.13.020 that is sixty or more days after the date the boundary review board is deemed to have approved the proposal, approves the proposal, or modifies and approves the proposal. The creation of a metropolitan park district is not subject to review by a boundary review board if the proposed district only includes one or more cities and in such cases the special election at which a ballot proposition authorizing creation of the park district shall be held as if a boundary review board does not exist in the county or counties.

(3) The petition proposing the creation of a metropolitan park district, or the resolution submitting the question to the voters, shall choose and describe the composition of the initial board of commissioners of the district that is proposed under RCW 35.61.050 and shall choose a name for the district. The proposition ((~~which~~)) shall ((~~be expressed in~~)) include the following terms:

G "For the formation of a metropolitan park district."

G "Against the formation of a metropolitan park district."

Sec. 4. RCW 35.61.040 and 1965 c 7 s 35.61.040 are each amended to read as follows:

If ((~~at an election~~)) a majority of the voters voting ((~~thereon~~)) on the ballot proposition authorizing the creation of the metropolitan park district vote in favor of the formation of a metropolitan park district, the metropolitan park district shall ((~~then~~)) be ((~~and become~~)) created as a municipal corporation effective immediately upon certification of the election results and its name shall be ((~~"Metropolitan Park District of . . . . . . (inserting the name of the city)."~~)) that designated in the ballot proposition.

Sec. 5. RCW 35.61.050 and 1994 c 223 s 23 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The resolution or petition submitting the ballot proposition shall designate the composition of the board of metropolitan park commissioners from among the alternatives provided under subsections (2) through (4) of this section. The ballot proposition shall clearly describe the designated composition of the board.

(2) The commissioners of the district may be selected by election, in which case at the same election at which the proposition is submitted to the voters as to whether a metropolitan park district is to be formed, five park commissioners shall be elected. The election of park commissioners shall be null and void if the metropolitan park district is not created. Candidates shall run for specific commission positions. No primary shall be held to nominate candidates. The person receiving the greatest number of votes for each position shall be elected as a commissioner. The staggering of the terms of office shall occur as follows: ((~~(1)~~)) (a) The two persons who are elected receiving the two greatest numbers of votes shall be elected to six-year terms of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or five-year terms of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year; ((~~(2)~~)) (b) the two persons who are elected receiving the next two greatest numbers of votes shall be elected to four-year terms of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or three-year terms of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year; and ((~~(3)~~)) (c) the other person who is elected shall be elected to a two-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or a one-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year. The initial commissioners shall take office immediately when they are elected and qualified, and for purposes of computing their terms of office the terms shall be assumed to commence on the first day of January in the year after they are elected. Thereafter, all commissioners shall be elected to six-year terms of office. All commissioners shall serve until their respective successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW 29.04.170. Vacancies shall occur and shall be filled as provided in chapter 42.12 RCW.

(3) In a district wholly located within a city or within the unincorporated area of a county, the governing body of such city or legislative authority of such county may be designated to serve in an ex officio capacity as the board of metropolitan park commissioners, provided that when creation of the district is proposed by citizen petition, the city or county approves by resolution such designation.

(4) Where the proposed district is located within more than one city, more than one county, or any combination of cities and counties, each city governing body and county legislative authority may be designated to collectively serve ex officio as the board of metropolitan park commissioners through selection of one or more members from each to serve as the board, provided that when creation of the district is proposed by citizen petition, each city governing body and county legislative authority approve by resolution such designation. Within six months of the date of certification of election results approving creation of the district, the size and membership of the board shall be determined through interlocal agreement of each city and county. The interlocal agreement shall specify the method for filling vacancies on the board.